What I Read

I usually stay away from popular books. Lately, popular books are about vampires, wizards and other things I find ridiculous. I am picky. I finished reading Streets of Laredo (Larry McMurtry) over the weekend. It was long and wonderful. I found the answers I was looking for and by the time it was over I was ready to let it go.
You know how some books you read you don't want to stop, don't want to even put it down to eat or start some laundry? I just finished one of those kinds of books. It seems like a popular-ish book (it's being made into a movie) and there was buzz about how good it was. It was about the South. I sort of had to read it. And so I ordered it. Months ago. It waited for me while I read a super long book that I already knew the ending to. (Because I had to know why Lorena and Pea Eye got married!) So... I had read some snippets of what other people of the Internet were saying about this popular book and I took a chance on it.

I bet you are just on the edge of your seat waiting for me to tell you the title. Well, wait no longer... The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. Oh my. I started it either Monday night or Tuesday and Wednesday around 5pm I was finished with it. When I noticed I didn't have much further to go in the book, as each page turned, I began to (so dramatic here) mourn coming to the end. I wanted this book to go on. I want to know what happens after it ends. It was so very good. I really hope the movie follows the book closely, even though I may never watch it. I find it incredibly disappointing when such a good book is a let down as a movie.

 I only put it down long enough to tend to everyone and thing yesterday. I didn't really slack off, I just didn't do any more than I had to. I will try to tell you a little about it.

A young 23 year old (Skeeter) starts wondering what the Negro housekeepers think about their jobs, families they have worked for and how they feel about practically raising their children. It starts out when her friend Hilly starts a initiative to have all houses add a separate bathroom for the help (because they carry different diseases than the white people). Skeeter looks up to see the black housekeeper and wonders how she feels about this. This all leads to her secretly writing a book with 13 of the black maids telling their stories and risking their jobs and lives so that people will know what they go through and how it makes them feel. It's all about these invisible lines that we draw up and feel we can't cross. Back then it was the maids and their bosses. They couldn't tell them how they really felt because they were sure they'd be fired. The point of their book is "For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought." It's just one woman helping another. It doesn't matter their color or race, religion or lack thereof, how much money they have or don't have. Just because they were hired help didn't make them less of a person.

If you're interested in the book you can read more about it here. I definitely recommend reading this book. Just make sure you have nothing of importance to do when you start reading it, cause you won't be able to put it down.
Mama

Our Day Trip. Round 2 (the end)

When I left off yesterday we had just done a lot of walking around trying not to melt from the heat... It was finally time to sit down and eat.

They had a delicious meal of Cheetos, cookies and yogurt. (It was a special day, who am I to force them to eat a sandwich and watermelon?)

After the park we found a museum downtown and strolled around in the air conditioning for a while.

Ry sporting a KoolAid mustache and observing oil well construction

Then... we went to the park. The kids ran off all the energy they could muster since the humidity and heat were sucking it out pretty fast anyway. It was finally time for one last push on the swings and one last slide...

Some one was having a great time on those swings. (As for the condition of the swing set... I was totally not worried at all about lead paint. I also thanked the heavens that my child couldn't reach over and scrape some into her mouth.)
We ended our day with Sonic's Cherry Limeades. The kids slept all the way home and I tried not to nod off too. It was very nice to get away from home for a few hours to play. 

Can you believe it's already Wednesday? Me either.
Mama

Our Day Trip. Round 1

We went on a little day trip and had our picnic. Our first stop was the old cotton and corn mill. They now host shindigs like weddings and fancy parties (we saw someone coming in when we left; I think it was for a Quinceañera).

1-Row Cotton Picker (1949)

 

 

 

We walked around the place and didn't learn much of anything. Instead of putting up educational posters under plexiglass there was a phone number listed on all the buildings and a number to push associated with each. I was kind of like...What!? Not only is this a self guided, at-your-own-risk sort of place, now I have to call and sit on the phone to find out anything! I didn't. Instead I totally made up stories for the kids.

I was pretty sure this old wagon hauled in the cotton or corn. The boys were fascinated with all the "old rusty houses".

I would love to finish this trip but I am still at the beginning. We have picnic, museum and park left. It would be the world's longest post ever so I'll break it up to keep us all sane. Since the kids just woke up and are now climbing all over me... I've gots to go. (Yes I did mean to say gots) They are hungry and I need the rest of my coffee.
See you tomorrow for Round 2- the picnic
Mama

Weekend Recap

Friday I packed up the kids and took off with my mom, aunt and cousin to a small town about an hour away to have a picnic. (Yeah, we drove an hour with three kids to have a picnic.) It sounds a little crazy, but my mom lived in that town a few years when she was growing up, so it's got family history. We went to the an old mill by the river and had our picnic. It was beautiful (even though we were all melting from the heat and humidity). After that we went downtown and walked through a museum, some shops, and took the kids to a local park to run off their energy. Before we headed home we stopped at Sonic and got cherry limeades... cause that's what you do.

Saturday. We headed out (once again) for a lengthy drive to a welcome home party for CLB. We ate lots of barbeque and cake and then headed over to his mom's house to continue catching up. While we were there the boys got to take their god-sister's Barbie Jeep for a drive and hand feed deer. We had a great time.

K was still in control of the Jeep for the most part (even when she wasn't driving). For some reason they are all fascinated with looking at the back tires while driving so there were a lot of "Look where you're going!!" moments. (Mainly from me.)

Sunday. We loaded up again and went to Small Town East where we picked up really awesome stuff like chicken feed, water hoses and (vital for our mornings) coffee. Then we ate at a small restaurant/deli and discovered they made some really darn good pizza. After that we met up with my sister and bro-in-law at my mom's, dropped Rose off there, packed into her SUV and drove another hour away to see Cars 2. We got there 20 minutes late and I decided to wait for the next showing...If only I had known that kids movies had an hour of pointless crap before the movie! Anyhow we drove around and got some DD coffee, browsed around R.E.I and laughed at wine glasses for camping and $400 kayak paddles. It was finally time to watch the movie. The boys were super excited and loved it.

We had a long (good) weekend. Tomorrow I'll elaborate on the picnic and have lots of pictures. I hope you all have a great 4th of July. Happy Independence Day!
Mama

Definition: Without Aim

Answer: Random (I have problems)
One of my children put his stuffed animal-cat in my printer. Closed it up in the paper tray/ink cartridge area and everything. And also turned it on. This is one reason we need to install/build a door to that particular room called the "den". Otherwise known as the room I don't know what to do with. In the short time we have lived in this house it has been a den, living room (I mean really, what's the difference), play room, music room and now... reading and block room. I seriously have every book shelf (save one) in that room and ONE chair, my keyboard, an amp, a piano and the kids tiny red table and mega blocks.

However, ever since I cleaned out our room last week (or was that this week, I can't remember) it has been a toy-free zone. (Virtual high five!) I have kept the dining room table cleared off, the clothes are not running/ruining my life, the bathroom is nice again... What does this all mean. Are the stars aligning or something? Is the world about to end? Why am I suddenly able to be somewhat organized?

This weekend is bound to be awesome. Lots of celebrating on Saturday with T's best friend and his wonderful family. I don't know what else we are doing but perhaps watching some fireworks could be arranged. I don't know what day the Small Town is having them so I should find that out.

This week we drank four (4!) gallons of milk. Where is that milk cow we've been asking for? Would that add to my farming chores? Could we get an ice cream maker if we got a milk cow? Would I need to start churning my own butter, making cheese and those sorts of things? I would totally whip out my baby name book and name that cow something awesome. On that note, why is it a Baby name book? Don't we have these names for a lifetime? I am still walking around with my Baby Name... how lame of me. 

Are you thinking after all these Random posts that I should rename my blog "Mama's Gone Random"? If it helps, sometimes I use my Country Voice when I'm reading this in my head. Oh, you can't hear it... I could podcast it. That would be so hilarious. Seriously, T suggested I do a podcast yesterday (while he was putting Tabasco Sauce all over the scrambled eggs) and I laughed. Laughed because we both know I can't carry a conversation with REAL people, let alone virtual people. By virtual I mean... we wouldn't be talking face-to-face. You and I are obviously real people. "Hi, nice to meet you." Virtual handshake. "I'm so glad you stopped by."

See you Monday (virtually speaking, of course)
Mama